Metal–organic frameworks as highly effective platforms for enzyme immobilization–current developments and future perspectives

Abstract This study presents a thorough overview of metal–organic frameworks’ (MOFs) utility as supports for enzyme immobilization. It details a bibliometric analysis of the field from 2014–2023, based on 911 Web of Science articles. Research outlines the functional properties of MOFs, the enzyme groups, and common immobilization techniques. It showcases diverse enzyme-MOF combinations for numerous applications, including industrial biocatalysis, medical diagnostics, drug development, biomass conversion, environmental protection, and biosensor creation. Current development trends and future directions are identified through literature analysis. Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) modeling revealed key research themes over the years, highlighting shifts in focus towards advanced catalytic methods and adsorption techniques. Additionally, a word cloud generated for 2024 publications indicates an increasing emphasis on specialized applications involving ZIFs, nanoparticles, and magnetic structures. Key future perspectives include new MOF materials, such as biologically derived MOFs, core–shell magnetic hierarchical porous MOFs, nanoMOFs, and mesoporous MOFs. Novel materials inspired by MOF carriers, such as covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and metal–organic aerogels (MOAs), are also highlighted. Lastly, the study emphasizes the potential for multienzymatic systems and multifunctional MOF-enzyme composites, facilitating multiple functionalities within a single system.